Cross-Text Connections

SAT Reading and Writing· difficulty 4/5

Text 1: Psychologist Vega argues that "grit" — perseverance toward long-term goals — predicts success better than IQ. Studies of West Point cadets, spelling bee finalists, and Chicago public school students consistently show that grittier individuals outperform their less persistent peers. Schools, Vega contends, should explicitly teach grit.

Text 2: Psychologist Karim notes that grit's correlation with success is real but weaker than Vega suggests. Replication studies have produced smaller effect sizes, and grit overlaps substantially with conscientiousness, a personality trait long known to correlate with achievement. The case for teaching grit, Karim argues, rests on evidence shakier than its enthusiasts admit.

Based on the texts, how would Karim (Text 2) most likely respond to Vega's recommendation that schools teach grit?

  • A

    He would endorse it as the highest priority for schools.

  • B

    He would deny that perseverance affects achievement at all.

  • C

    He would argue grit and conscientiousness are completely unrelated.

  • D

    He would urge skepticism, citing weaker effects in replication studies.

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Explanation

Karim accepts a real but smaller effect and notes overlap with conscientiousness, leading to skepticism about strong recommendations. B captures this. A, C, and D contradict his stance.

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